Decision details

The Cabinet Member authorised the Executive Director – People and Communities to award call-off contract(s) relating to:   

·         Independent Fostering Agency Placements.

·         Residential Children's Homes

·         Residential non maintained special school placements

·         Out of School Tuition Services

from the Cambridgeshire County Council procured Dynamic Purchasing System for an initial period of 5 years from 1 April 2019 with an option to extend for an initial period of two years, then a further period of two years after a further review and then a final one year extension. 

In order for the commissioning of placement services for vulnerable children and young people to be compliant, the authority has to have in place a framework or system that has been subject to OJEU and the necessary competition processes undertaken as part of  the procurement process. The use of a DPS for this purpose ensures the authority is compliant in all responsibilities under procurement and contract law.

The use of a DPS will enable mini-competitions as we determine relevant service requirements [e.g - a remand fostering bed], as the authority has access to a number of ‘on contract’ providers, so can go directly to this market to satisfy procurement requirements.

The DPS will also facilitate greater opportunity for the firm establishment of strategic provider relationships, ensuring the Council’s sufficiency requirement can be sustainably delivered.

Other options considered included joining other regional consortia, however these were either due to expire, were cost prohibitive or were precluded for technical reasons. In order to ensure the commissioning of services were legislatively compliant, the best option was to ensure that the procurement being led by CCC for the services also permitted the Council to purchase from the DPS. 

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